South Indian Detour: Dasaprakash in Santa Clara

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South Indian Detour: Dasaprakash in Santa Clara

For the last few months I've been eating Indian food along the 880 corridor. Recently I took a little detour to Santa Clara to revisit Dasaprakash, which has been my touchstone for South Indian food. It's been some time since my last visit, yet Madhu remembered that I had been there before and was as genial a host as ever. I also enjoyed sitting in that lovely dining room again.

Since I don't pass that way often, I wanted to try two things with one choice that would reheat well. Madhu recommended one of the uppamas. I picked the tomato and green pea version which he said was spicier. This was a mound of high seasoned semolina studded with peas, bits of sweet onions, tomatoes, and a variety of spices. I liked this very much and equally well for reheated for lunch a few days later.

The South Indian thali didn't fare as well. The sambhar and rasam seemed flat and lackluster. The yellow dal with greens and the mango achar were as good as ever, and I enjoyed the buttermilk curry made with chayote and the potato-based dessert, but the other two curries were quite boring. The pooris were especially disappointing. While they were as paper thin as I remember, these were oil-soaked and just tasted like vegetable oil. Maybe it was just the selections this day, but the thali didn't have the magic I remember.